NASA has partnered with Rocket Lab (RKLB, Financial) in a new project to expedite and reduce the cost of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. This deal of $625,000 outlines Rocket Lab's role in identifying other approaches to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. It may help reduce the estimated final cost of $11 billion and bring forward the return date beyond the estimated 2040 return date.

Bold Strategy to Space Flight

Rocket Lab's plan awoke understanding of using under development Neutron rocket. The specifics of the mission outline for Neutron entail launching two unique satellite systems, each two weeks apart. The first of these could use an Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), with the second bringing a lander spacecraft hosting a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). This vehicle would land on Mars to meet the Perseverance rover, collect returned samples, and bring them to orbit, where they would link with the ERO for the trip back to Earth.

Rocket Lab's CEO, Peter Beck, focused on the cost-effective and unconventional mission design of the(box). The company has used the experience gained from the CAPSTONE lunar mission and the ESCAPADE Mars smallsat mission to bolster its bid to transform the MSR strategy.

NASA plans to finalize these exploratory studies by this fall and integrate data collected from other significant participants such as Blue Origin, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and SpaceX. The enrollment of all these efforts in cooperation is likely to enhance the MSR plans much more effectively and affordably while shortening the sample return mechanism. These events have been positively described by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who seemed to suggest a change of tide on timelines and budget for the MSR mission.